IDF Eliminates Tunnel Terorrists in Israel, Gaza

Hamas continues to use tunnels to attack Israelis; on Thursday, troops eliminated another terrorist who tried to do just that.

By Yaakov Levi

First Publish: 7/31/2014, 1:09 PM

Hamas terror tunnel

IDF Spokesperson's office

While the IDF says that several more days are needed to remove the threat of terror tunnels from Israel altogether, Hamas terrorists continue to use the tunnels to surprise Israelis with and carry out terrorist atrocities in communities neighboring the Gaza Strip– and on Thursday, another terrorist tried to do just that.

The terrorist, who emerged from a tunnel with an opening in Israel, was eliminated Thursday morning by Golani soldiers.

At the same time, a paratrooper unit operating inside Gaza near the border came across a cell of five terrorists who were planning to use a tunnel to get into Israel. The soldiers eliminated those terrorists as well. According to the army, the IDF is just days away from completing its mission of eliminating the terror threat from Israel.

After three weeks of fighting, the IDF on Thursday authorized an additional call-up of reserve soldiers. An additional 16,000 reserve soldiers are being called up for duty, joining some 70,000 reservist who had already been called for service, the IDF announced With the call-up, a total of some 86,000 reservists will be on active duty.

The call-up indicates that the IDF may expand its operation, expanding its mission beyond the destruction of terror tunnels constructed by Hamas. IDF spokesmen over the past day have said that the army needs between two and three days to destroy all the Hamas tunnels that could be used to attack Israel.